Page 27 of Enthralled in the Governess' Gaze
“Someone needs to take charge of this household,” she snapped. “If you cannot do it, then you can be assured that I will do it myself.”
With that, Emily turned on her heel and marched out of the dining room, leaving Edward alone to stew in his frustration, shame, and regret.
Chapter 15
Her stomach twisted as she stared up at the ceiling of her room. It was late into the night, and Victoria was lying in bed, but she had not been able to sleep a single wink. Her mind swirled with thoughts of dinner earlier that evening and Lord Harford’s behaviour.
She could not deny how disappointed she was in how Lord Harford had treated her. Victoria had begun to think that they could find some common ground between them and actually become friends, or at least friendly, but that seemed an impossibility now. It was clear that he did not like her, and she was not so certain he ever would.
That thought bothered her more than any of the memories of his treatment of her. She did not like the idea of him truly disliking her in any way. When had that changed? When had she started caring what he thought of her?
With a huff of frustration, she threw the blankets off of her and slung her feet over the side of the bed. Standing, she made to grab for her robe but could not immediately find it in the dark. Deciding she did not need it, as there was likely no one else moving about the manor so late in the night, Victoria lit a small candle in a holder and made her way out of the room and into the quiet corridor.
Thinking warm milk might help her fall asleep, she made her way through the manor down to the kitchen. She moved quickly but quietly, not wishing to disturb anyone else in the house. It would be rather awkward if she encountered anyone at that moment dressed as she was, and she did not want to cause herself to have a poor reputation among the staff.
When Victoria reached the kitchen, she stepped through the door and immediately froze.
It appeared she was not the only one struggling to sleep after all.
Lord Harford was standing on the other side of the room, rummaging through the kitchen’s cupboards. He did not notice her right away, and she wondered if she should just slip away before he did. At that moment, however, he turned and spotted her, and they both froze as they stared at each other.
“Oh…Miss Clifford,” Lord Harford finally said, breaking the tense silence between them. “I did not hear you come in.”
“I…I did not mean to interrupt you, my lord,” Victoria hesitantly replied. “I will leave you….”
“That is not necessary,” he quickly said with a shake of his head. “You came down here for a reason, and I do not wish to chase you off. Please, do whatever it is you intended to do.”
Victoria was torn. It would be awkward to stay, but would it be worse to leave? Would he consider it an insult?
At length, she finally murmured, “Thank you, my lord.”
Shuffling across the room, she quickly grabbed a carafe of milk and a cup and moved to a small table on the far side of the room, setting them down. She glanced over her shoulder at Lord Harford, who was grabbing a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese.
He moved to the small table as well and stood next to her. He set his food next to her milk, and there was a moment in which neither said a word to the other. They simply stood there, the tension between them intensifying with every second.
Victoria tried to think of something to say, but her mind could not come up with anything that did not sound pathetic or ridiculous.
To her relief, Lord Harford was the first one to break the silence.
Clearing his throat, he said, “Miss Clifford, I owe you an apology.”
Blinking, Victoria glanced toward him, caught off guard by his words. “Apology, my lord?”
He nodded. “Yes, indeed. My behaviour toward you at dinner was abysmal. It really was nothing to do with you. I was already in a bad temper from earlier, and I simply took it out on you. That was not fair of me, and for that, I am very sorry.”
Victoria could not help but stare at him. She was taken aback by his words and how genuine they sounded. It was not something she would have expected from him – not only acknowledging his behaviour but expressing remorse for it.
“You do not need to worry, my lord,” she insisted with a shake of her head. “It was nothing. You have every right to express your frustration in your own home.”
“Yes, but I do not have the right to take that frustration out on you,” he replied.
Victoria did not disagree with him but did not think it was her place to say so. Instead, she simply nodded and reached for the milk still resting on the table. At the same time, Lord Harford reached for his loaf of bread, resting next to the milk. Their hands accidentally brushed, and Victoria tensed. It felt as though heat shot from the point of contact all the way up her arm. It stole her breath and caused her cheeks to flush.
“Are you all right, Miss Clifford,” he murmured, his gaze locked on her face.
She could not answer right away, too overwhelmed by the strange sensations coursing through her body.
“I…I should go,” Victoria whispered, turning away from him, feeling as though she needed to get away from the heat he was invoking in her.
